Yeah, the older models were poor quality..
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TR7's started production in 1975.. As soon as the firs tplant opened, in Speke England, they announced the plant was closing and was moving.. So, the initial batch of cars made for the first year, or so, wer of poor quality because the workers knew they were losing their jobs..
But, the design was flawed, as well.. For example, the original first-off-the-line TR7's had PLASTIC radiator caps! meaning, as soon as the car heated up, the plastic radiator cap would crack, coolant would go everywhere, and a car, right off the assembly line would blow a head gasket within a week.. major repairs within a week.. yikes.. My first TR7 was a Speke model 1976, which, as I have joked about for years, had more tow miles on it than driven miles.. and it did.. it was ALWAYS breaking down..
So, anyways, the company, again, moved the plant - this time to Solihull, where the highest quality TR7's were produced in 1980.. At the time they had come out with the TR8 model, which was the same exact car, except with an 8 cylinder engine.. talk about a rocket! So, nobody wanted to buy the TR7's anymore, because they wanted the TR8's.. So, rumor has it that Triumph took the 1200 TR7's right off the line, repainted them black, with red rally stripes and branding, TR8 steering wheels and TR8 rally wheels and super cool, yet lousy quality bucket seats, and called them the Spider edition - kind of like the Rally Sport edition of Camaros...
Anyways, Triumph AGAIN moved and the quality went back to crap and they went out of business in '81.. But, for one year they actually made high quality cars and that's what I own now: the highest quality TR7 ever made with the coolest look.. Its WAY more reliable than my '76.. I've owned it 21-22 years and have never been stranded, although once it did break down as I was pulling into my garage lol...
Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..
But, the design was flawed, as well.. For example, the original first-off-the-line TR7's had PLASTIC radiator caps! meaning, as soon as the car heated up, the plastic radiator cap would crack, coolant would go everywhere, and a car, right off the assembly line would blow a head gasket within a week.. major repairs within a week.. yikes.. My first TR7 was a Speke model 1976, which, as I have joked about for years, had more tow miles on it than driven miles.. and it did.. it was ALWAYS breaking down..
So, anyways, the company, again, moved the plant - this time to Solihull, where the highest quality TR7's were produced in 1980.. At the time they had come out with the TR8 model, which was the same exact car, except with an 8 cylinder engine.. talk about a rocket! So, nobody wanted to buy the TR7's anymore, because they wanted the TR8's.. So, rumor has it that Triumph took the 1200 TR7's right off the line, repainted them black, with red rally stripes and branding, TR8 steering wheels and TR8 rally wheels and super cool, yet lousy quality bucket seats, and called them the Spider edition - kind of like the Rally Sport edition of Camaros...
Anyways, Triumph AGAIN moved and the quality went back to crap and they went out of business in '81.. But, for one year they actually made high quality cars and that's what I own now: the highest quality TR7 ever made with the coolest look.. Its WAY more reliable than my '76.. I've owned it 21-22 years and have never been stranded, although once it did break down as I was pulling into my garage lol...
Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..
